Latest blogs

Rob Percival: In 2013, the Soil Association investigated the food served to children in 21 of the biggest and most popular high street chains across the UK. We uncovered a glaring lack of variety and creativity in children’s menus, with healthy eating made difficult by the dominance of chicken nuggets, burgers and sausages, and restaurants failing to provide parents and children with what they want and deserve.

Amy Leech: Eating out is a treat; whether once a year or week it’s a pleasure to be waited on, cooked for, and get a smile (a smile!) in return for dirty dishes – unless that is you’re unlucky enough to be under 12. Back in the, let’s go for a rose-tinted, ‘balmy’ summer of 2013 I set out with a small army of families to find out what the nation’s high street restaurants were serving up to our youngsters.

Joanna Lewis: The Government’s new School Food Plan highlighted that nearly 20% of children are now obese by the time they leave primary school, but is improving children’s diets just a job for schools? Restaurants are often quick to say it’s not their responsibility: they’re in the business of serving up the occasional treat and giving parents and children what they want on those occasions.

Kathie Auton: You know that moment when you, as a kiddie food blogger and passionate supporter of good food for children, hear your 5 year old tell the nation that their favourite restaurant in Burger King*... No? Well I do... Today saw the launch of the results of the Soil Association and Organix's survey into how the nation's chain restaurants are treating our kids and Alex got the opportunity to express his views on BBC Radio 4’s You & Yours.

Kathie Auton: There's going to be some back patting and some head hanging this week. The Soil Association and Organix are revealing the results of detailed, undercover research into how the nation's chain restaurants are serving our children. For Out to Lunch, parents have been out there eating, asking questions, spotting highs and lows and jotting it all down. And now we have a league table. The top picks will be proud, but what about the bottom, will they take it on the chin and rethink their policies or will they have the excuses ready?

Kathie Auton: I like eating out with my kids. Well, mostly I do. The time when Alex surreptitiously puked on the table at Yo Sushi wasn’t a highlight. Nothing to do with their food I hasten to add, both my kids adore ‘The Moving Food Place’, it’s just that sushi doesn’t sit well on top of a stomach bug... We don’t eat out all the time, because even cheap eating out is expensive, but we have classed it as something ‘important’ and something we are going to spend money on sometimes. There are several justifications, sorry – reasons for this, which leads me on to the question: Why do we eat out with the kids?